Colombia captures top commander of neo-paramilitary group
Colombian forces have captured a top commander of one of the deadliest Neo Paramilitary group ERPAC on Sunday.
The commander, “El Faco Fredy”, a close ally of Colombia’s most
dangerous drug Lord “El Loco” Barrera, was captured at his strong-hold
called “the Central Meta-department”, media reports said.
Fredy took control of “Bloque Meta”, a dissident faction in 2011 with 293 members, Colombian Reports reported.
ERPAC is a neo-paramilitary group primarily active in the eastern plains of Colombia. Authorities and researchers disagree about the size and the area of influence of the group.
The group, officially called Popular Revolutionary Antiterrorist Army of Colombia, was formed by “Cuchillo,” a long-time commander of the paramilitary AUC’s “Frente Heroes de Guaviare” and the “Bloque Centauros.” The dissident warlord formed his neo-paramilitary group while the AUC officially was demobilizing.
Cuchillo, whose real name was Pedro Oliveiro Guerrero, formed the new group with other members of the AUC and took over the paramilitaries’ control of the drug and arms trafficking routes in the Meta, Guaviare, Vichada and Casanare departments.
Since its foundation, ERPAC has gone through several transformations forced by ongoing pressure by the authorities, changes in alliances, fierce competition with other illegal armed groups, the death of Cuchillo in 2010 and the demobilization of an estimated quarter of the group in 2011.
According to authorities, ERPAC since then split into two rival groups, “Bloque Meta” and “Libertadores de Vichada,” who together have between 450 and 800 fighters.
In September 2012, authorities arrested “El Flaco Fredy,” the leader of the Bloque Meta faction of ERPAC. The Libertadores de Vichada is alleged to be led by Farfan Diaz, alias “Pijarvy,” one of Cuchillo’s old associates.
The groups’ strongholds remain in the Meta, Guaviare and Vichada department, but according to researchers ERPAC has also emerged in the north and west of Colombia due to its factions’ alliances with other drug trafficking groups like the “Urabeños” and the “Rastrojos.”
Members of ERPAC
Fredy took control of “Bloque Meta”, a dissident faction in 2011 with 293 members, Colombian Reports reported.
ERPAC is a neo-paramilitary group primarily active in the eastern plains of Colombia. Authorities and researchers disagree about the size and the area of influence of the group.
The group, officially called Popular Revolutionary Antiterrorist Army of Colombia, was formed by “Cuchillo,” a long-time commander of the paramilitary AUC’s “Frente Heroes de Guaviare” and the “Bloque Centauros.” The dissident warlord formed his neo-paramilitary group while the AUC officially was demobilizing.
Cuchillo, whose real name was Pedro Oliveiro Guerrero, formed the new group with other members of the AUC and took over the paramilitaries’ control of the drug and arms trafficking routes in the Meta, Guaviare, Vichada and Casanare departments.
Since its foundation, ERPAC has gone through several transformations forced by ongoing pressure by the authorities, changes in alliances, fierce competition with other illegal armed groups, the death of Cuchillo in 2010 and the demobilization of an estimated quarter of the group in 2011.
According to authorities, ERPAC since then split into two rival groups, “Bloque Meta” and “Libertadores de Vichada,” who together have between 450 and 800 fighters.
In September 2012, authorities arrested “El Flaco Fredy,” the leader of the Bloque Meta faction of ERPAC. The Libertadores de Vichada is alleged to be led by Farfan Diaz, alias “Pijarvy,” one of Cuchillo’s old associates.
The groups’ strongholds remain in the Meta, Guaviare and Vichada department, but according to researchers ERPAC has also emerged in the north and west of Colombia due to its factions’ alliances with other drug trafficking groups like the “Urabeños” and the “Rastrojos.”
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